WORK:Gathering of Biblical Proportions in Washington D.C. by Anne Phyllis Pinzow

Gathering of Biblical Proportions in Washington D. C.

Anne Phyllis Pinzow

This was the stuff from which Torah stories are written and as such, a news article could never do it justice so I'll use the pronoun "I" and write from a personal view.

Reports called it the largest pro-Israeli gathering ever with crowds covering the Capitol lawn in Washington, D.C. and environs for a quarter mile in all directions. I can vouch for the fact that there was such a press of humanity I nearly got squeezed off my feet. I shouldn't have brought anything with me to carry (like my sign, which said "Ask Native Americans About Trading Land For Peace", except my water bottle. I nearly fainted from heat stroke (more than 126 people were treated for such with temperatures reaching high into the 80s) and, in fact, a policeman had to "make a hole," for me so that I could get some air. I didn't even get to hear much of the speeches because of where the crowd kind of landed me near one of the walls surrounding the lawn.

There were so many people that not all the buses could even get to the parking area. I understand that there were more than 10,000 buses, at least carrying 50 people each. Rough estimates of the crowd were more than 500,000. Another miracle considering that this rally was put together in less than a week and that the word was spread, not by advertisement; call from the pulpit or news article, but by telephone call and word of mouth. I only found out about it on the previous Friday and was lucky to get one of the two last seats on one of the buses.

I, along with most people, walked from the RFK stadium, which was the parking area, the two miles to the capitol. Bad idea but it gave me the opportunity to at least get a few pictures.

I understand that very few reporters even got into the area close enough to get any information. The editor from one of the newspapers I sometimes write for wasn't even allowed in with a press pass. (I bet I would have gotten in though.) Even some chains didn't fair much better. It was obvious in the article that appeared.

Anyway, we started out at 7 a.m. and got to the stadium at noon. We actually would have gotten there sooner but for all the busses. It was wild, buses in front of us, on either side and behind us for miles as we neared Washington, D.C. and all of them with signs sporting support for Israel, "Arafat Must Go" and people singing Jewish songs, some new, and some as ancient as this conflict.

Then there was the march to the Capitol. WOW!

Children, bearded men, women in mini-shorts, the old, the young, the ultra-religious and the secular Jew, their differences all but forgotten as they marched together, helping each other, singing, proclaiming their unity and their support. We will not keep silent; we will not allow our blood to be traded for cheap oil prices.

There was one man with a giant shofar (ram's horn) and he kept blowing it, the sound reminiscent of the call to prayer at Rosh Hashanah. "Tekia, Shevarim, Teruah, Tekia," the short and the long blasts over and over again, reaching into the soul of each Jew who has ever heard the call before. Yes, I got a picture, despite or perhaps because of the chills it sent down my spine.

This is the stuff of the Torah, of miracles and biblical story. In a thousand years yesterday's (April 15ths) event might really be remembered, not for what was said or who spoke, but for all the Jews who came together, drawn by the sound of the Shofar.

The speakers were dynamic and all except one, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, was cheered. This crowd was not in any mood to hear sympathy for the Palestinians who have trained their own children to kill Jews from kindergarten. How can there be peace talks with people who pay families to have their children commit suicide and murder?

It is said that if you put three Jews together in a room, you have an argument. Something miraculous then was occurring because there was no argument, only unceasing and unrelenting support for Israel and for an end to terrorism.

Well, of course, there was one bit of dissension, which not many people saw. A small group of 15 people claiming to be Jewish, sported Palestinian flags claiming that there should be no Jews in Israel until the Messiah comes. These people were purported to be members of the Sachmar sect of ultra orthodox observance

However, I don't think that was the case because the beards looked false to me, as they did to many others. One woman, who had been at the rally just kept saying "disgraceful, disgraceful," while passing by this very small grouping which, was heavily guarded by police.

There were some reports of a Pro Palestinian Rally to take place after the Pro Israeli Rally but I could not find any confirmed reports that one had taken place.

After the rally, people again went back to the buses and a reverse of the events occurred with thousands of buses all heading out of the city, all carrying very hot, tired and hungry demonstrators. Again, it was a diverse group; again it was made up of people from all walks of life. But beyond that there was one thing they all had in common.

One comment was overheard over and over again, "We were there, we were counted, and we showed our support."